{
  "id": 14676975,
  "title": "Kaleo frontman on the power of music ahead of SA debut",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/kaleo-frontman-on-the-power-of-music-ahead-of-sa-debut-14676975",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T10:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/lifestyle/entertainment/kaleo-to-tour-south-africa-next-year/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Music has the power to evoke emotions, lift our spirits, take us to another world, or simply help us forget about life's troubles for a little while. It's an art form that can bring about change, drive culture, and contribute to social progress or even protest against it. JJ Júlíusson, the frontman of Grammy-nominated Icelandic band Kaleo, believes that this emotional connection is what makes music so extraordinary. Despite the significant changes within the music industry over the past few decades, Júlíusson insists that a song's ability to touch someone remains its greatest gift. He holds a romantic and purist view of music, rejecting the notion that it can be explained by mathematical principles, and stating that its source is a higher power.\n\nJúlíusson acknowledges that music can affect people in ways that other art forms often cannot, almost as if humans have an innate response to it. In a world overwhelmed with content, many of which may be of low quality, his primary goal as a songwriter is to make people feel something and help them temporarily escape from their daily struggles. Live performances by Kaleo exhibit a diverse range, moving between hard-hitting rock, acoustic arrangements, and ballads. Júlíusson believes that variety in music adds to the experience, and enjoys experiencing the contrasts when attending concerts as a fan. He also attributes the authenticity of live music to its ability to preserve the magic that modern entertainment struggles to maintain.\n\nThe COVID-19 pandemic brought the importance of gathering together to share shared experiences to the forefront, and Júlíusson sees performing in South Africa for the first time as a magical opportunity. He notes that watching an audience of ten thousand people sing along to their songs, in a place they've never been before, is truly magical. However, Júlíusson expresses his concerns over the excessive bombardment of music in daily life, particularly through social media and artificial intelligence. He feels that the constant exposure to music can leave people feeling exhausted by content that should bring joy. Júlíusson prefers creating music that is raw, natural, and not overproduced, an approach that has become a defining characteristic of Kaleo's sound and one he hopes to continue beyond their commercial success. Kaleo's debut in South Africa is part of their Way Down We Go Tour, commemorating the ten-year anniversary of their breakthrough album A/B, which propelled the Icelandic musicians to international fame. The band will perform at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town on February 4, 2027, and at Marks Park in Johannesburg on February 6, with Kongos and Ross Learmonth as supporting acts in Johannesburg. Tickets for the shows are available through Webtickets.",
  "summary": "Kaleo front man JJ Júlíusson talks about music, emotion and the magic of live concerts ahead of the band's SA debut in February 2027.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Kaleo frontman on the power of music ahead of SA debut",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/kaleo-frontman-on-the-power-of-music-ahead-of-sa-debut",
        "published": "2026-10-15T10:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}